Poetry Pea - haiku and other English Language Japanese short forms

What makes a haiku a haiku? Is there really a difference between traditional and contemporary haiku, or have we complicated something that was once quite simple?
In this episode of the Poetry Peacast, Patricia explores the essential elements of the Japanese haiku tradition, discussing the must haves of haiku.
Drawing on the work of Haruo Shirane, William J. Higginson, Michael Dylan Welch and Robert D. Wilson, she examines why seasonality matters, how the cut creates resonance, and why these techniques continue to give haiku their unique emotional power.
Along the way, Patricia analyses poems by Buson, Bashō, Den Sutejo, Katayama Yumiko, Don Baird, Neena Singh, Meera Rehm, Bruce H. Feingold and Bisshie, sharing practical insights that will help you read and write stronger haiku.
Whether you're new to haiku or a long-time practitioner, this thoughtful discussion invites you to reconsider what truly defines the genre.
In this episode:
What kigo really contributes to a haiku
The purpose of the kireji, or cut
Why sensory imagery matters
Close readings of classic and modern haiku
Practical inspiration for your own writing
Subscribe to the Poetry Peacast for weekly episodes exploring haiku, senryū, tanka, haibun and the craft of Japanese short-form poetry.
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show notes

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, Patricia McGuire introduces the remarkable poetry of Anne McKay, an award-winning Canadian poet whose lyrical haiku and haiku-inspired poetry deserve to be much better known.

She explores a selection of Anne McKay's haiku, looking at her evocative imagery, her musical use of language, her distinctive use of white space, and the subtle techniques that make her poems linger long after they've been read. Along the way, Patricia reflects on reading haiku aloud, the role of punctuation in contemporary haiku, and white space.

Whether you're new to Anne McKay's work or already a fan, this episode offers a thoughtful exploration of a poet whose quiet observations should inspire readers around the world.

Don't forget to visit the Poetry Pea YouTube channel and take part in this month's video prompt. Guest editor Matt Snyder is looking forward to reading your haiku, senryū and haibun, and your poem could be selected for publication in the next Poetry Pea Journal and featured on a future Poetry Pea Podcast.

If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate and leave a review. It helps other poetry lovers discover the show.

In this episode:
• Anne McKay's haiku and poetic style
• Reading haiku aloud
• White space, sound and punctuation in haiku
• Haiku technique and close reading
• This month's Poetry Pea video prompt

Keep writing.

Rivers have always carried stories. In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we follow their winding course through a carefully curated collection of contemporary haiku and senryū, alongside classic poems that continue to inspire writers today.
These tiny poems explore rivers as places of connection and separation, memory and movement, peace and conflict. From quiet birdsong to distant sirens, from bridges that unite to waters that divide, each haiku offers a fresh perspective on one of poetry's oldest and richest images.
Featured poets:
Johnny Moran
Kim Klugh
Melissa Dennison
Mona Bedi
Rupa Anand
Jacek Margolak
Anjali Warhadpande
Paul Callus
Lakshmi Iyer
Sandip Chauhan
Vikram Kolmannskog
Arvinder Kaur
Vaishnavi Ramaswamy, India
Tony Williams
Corinne Timmer 
Minal Sarosh
Ian Richardson
Rowan Beckett Minor, PPJ 3:25
Anna Maria Domburg-Sancristoforo
Anthony Lusardi
Robin Rich
Caroline Ridley-Duff
Janice Doppler
Okamoto Kanoko, trs Makoto Ueda 
Maya Daneva
Buson, trs RH Blyth 
Roger Ishii
David Cox

If you write haiku, senryū or Japanese short-form poetry, this episode is full of inspiration for your own writing. And don't forget to visit the Poetry Pea YouTube channel to take part in this month's video prompt, guest-edited by Lakshmi Iyer—there's still time to leave your poem in the comments.
Subscribe to the Poetry Pea Podcast for weekly episodes celebrating haiku, senryū, haibun, tanka, poetry craft, interviews with leading poets, and practical inspiration for writers at every stage of their journey.
See you next week.
This week's episode page

In the final episode of this three-part series on noun poetry, Patricia reads a wonderful collection of listener poems, inspired by the nouns. This episode examines how carefully chosen images can evoke emotion without relying on explanation or abstract language.
With practical analysis and inspiring examples, this episode offers valuable insights for anyone looking to write stronger haiku, senryū and short-form poetry.
Whether you're a seasoned poet or just beginning your haiku journey, you'll come away with a deeper appreciation of the power of images, the importance of observation and the quiet magic that happens when nouns are allowed to do the work.
There's a little bit of homework for you this week, check the show notes.
Subscribe to the Poetry Pea Podcast for weekly conversations about haiku, senryū, haibun and the craft of Japanese short-form poetry. And if you enjoy the show, please leave a review and share it with a fellow poet—it really helps the podcast grow.
Poets Featured today:
Rebecca Upjohn
Andrea Cisco
Jeannie Harkema
Ralph Matthews
Vaishnavi Ramaswamy
Steve Bahr
Cynthia Anderson
Seamus O’Connor
Lorraine Padden
Kim Klugh
Susan Andrews
Melissa Dennison
Jenny Shepherd
Rupa Anand
Mark Forrester
Tony Williams
Alicia Samson 
Katie Montagna
Christine Wenk-Harrison
Jonathan English
Emil Karla
Sangita Kalarickal
Elliot Diamond
Richard Tice
Neena Singh
Bisshie

Can a haiku be lyrical without relying on verbs? Can a handful of carefully chosen nouns carry all the emotional weight a poem needs?
In this second episode exploring the poetry of nouns, Patricia examines how concrete images create resonance, rhythm and lyricism in haiku and senryū. Drawing on poems by:
Alan Summers
Radostina Dragostinova
Hifsa Ashraf
Laura Driscoll
Sharon Lynne Yee
Mark Gilbert
Paul m
Christopher Peys
Máire Morrissey-Cummins
Lovette Carter
Katie Montagna
James Young
Eve Castle
Kikaku
Patricia explores the idea that the reader becomes a co-poet, discovering meaning in the spaces between images.
Along the way, you'll hear discussions of the arrested moment, juxtaposition, movement without verbs, and the surprising musicality that emerges from noun-heavy poetry.
Whether you're an experienced haiku poet or just beginning your journey into Japanese short-form poetry, this episode offers practical insights into writing more evocative, image-driven work.
In this episode:
Why concrete nouns can create powerful lyricism
Haiku without verbs and the illusion of movement
The role of juxtaposition and reader participation
The "arrested moment" in lyric poetry

The Poetry Pea Podcast is a weekly podcast for haiku, senryū and haibun writers, featuring poetry, craft discussions, interviews and inspiration for poets around the world.
Show notes